I wrote a similar post to this years ago (before Awakening came out), but what with all the Fire Emblem love going around right now, I thought I would update this list to include the Awakening characters that it deserves!

Without further adieu, I present to you my ultimate Fire Emblem team, one for each class in the series - my A-Team:

Myrmidon/Swordmaster

Mareeta(Fire Emblem 5 - Thracia 776) - There have been many good characters of this class throughout many Fire Emblem games, but Mareeta takes the case. Being the only character from FE5 on this list (on the SNES), she had to make it for being so ridiculously destructive. I had never played a FE game before, it was all in Japanese, but what I did know was that Mareeta killed people. There comes a point where this girl learns her Astra skill that literally causes her to attack over and over (I'm talking in the double-digits) until the enemy is dead.

Runner-up - Mia (Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn)

Mercenary/Hero

Ike(Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn) - Was there really any question here? It's only fit that my favorite character happens to be from my favorite class. I honestly believe you can finish both Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn with only Ike doing any work (with a good support anyways). No joke, I named our second kid Isaac... but I'm calling him Ike in honor of this guy.

Runner-up - Severa (Awakening)

Archer/Sniper

Rolf(Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn) - Rolf is the archer that Hell spewed forth in its wrath. He's also the quintessential example of the "sleeper character," which is one that starts off absolutely terrible, but becomes indispensable later. The kid starts uber-wimpy, but grows into a one man shredding machine, to rival Legolas himself in army-reducing capabilities.

Runner-up - Innes (Sacred Stones)

Knight/General

Gilliam(Sacred Stones) - Man, I love this guy. To me, Gilliam is the "tank" character to end all tank characters. He's a little in the "no character development" category, but I don't hold it against him. Although most General characters have high defenses, usually coupled with a good offense, Gilliam excels in offense, defense, speed, and skill... and he can wield axes, lances, and swords (Sacred Stones in the only game that allows Generals to also equip all three); this guy takes the cake. As an added bonus, his hair is awesome.

Runner-up - Horace (Shadow Dragon)

Cavalier/Paladin/Great General

Seth(Sacred Stones) - Ah, Seth. If used unwisely, you will waste all of the experience points to be gained in the first half of the game, like every other pre-promoted character that has been in any Fire Emblem game (Marcus, Titania, Sothe, etc.). However, unlike, say, Marcus, Seth is worth keeping around and using later. As the Paladin in black, I always called him "Seth, the Destroyer." In addition to this, Seth actually was an interesting character, as he was a love/duty torn knight protecting the princess.

Runner-up - Leaf (Thracia 776)

Fighter/Warrior

Ross(Sacred Stones) - As another example of a sleeper character, Ross starts off as not-even-base class character ("Journeyman"), which coupled with the unique class system in Sacred Stones, makes him a character that sweats potential. He can become a Hero, Warrior, or Berserker, and is destructive in each of those that you so choose. Ultra-high power, speed, and hit points makes his good, and his outspoken desire to be the greatest and the strongest makes him awesome.

Runner-up - Vaike (Awakening)

Thief/Assassin/Rogue/Trickster

Volke(Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn) - This was probably the most difficult choice of all the classes, as Volke's B-team substitute is Jaffar, who came in a close second. I chose Volke over Jaffar because of how much his character surprised me. For me, he went from lerpy-dufus to cold-blooded killer charged, with the job of shadowing (i.e. - assigned to kill at the given time) the most powerful people on the continent (Grail and Ike). Not too shabby of a resume.

Runner-up - Jaffar (Fire Emblem)

Pegasus Knight/Falcoknight/Dark Flyer

Caeda(Shadow Dragon) - Ah, Caeda, simply put, she was the only thing I enjoyed about Shadow Dragon on the DS (besides maybe Marth). Seriously, Shadow Dragon was the worst Fire Emblem game I've ever played, and at least Caeda, with her artwork and destructive powers, made the game worth playing.

Runner-up - Tana (Sacred Stones)

Dracoknight/Dragon Lord/Griffon Rider

Haar(Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn) - Haar is awesome for many reasons. Besides riding a black wyvern and wearing an eye patch, this dude was practically the comic relief on the game. Not because he's a joker, but because all he wants to do is sleep. Whether it be at camp before a big battle, or during a big battle, Haar wanted to snooze. Haar's the man. I mean, come on, the dude has an eye patch!

Runner-up - Cormag (Sacred Stones)

Pirate/Barbarian/Berserker

Dart(Fire Emblem) - This is probably the least use class for me anyways, and since I had to pick someone, I went with Dart. The dude's a pirate. What else needs to be said?

Runner-up - Dozla (Sacred Stones)

Mage/Sage

Lilina(Sealed Sword) - As Hector's daughter (from Fire Emblem) and Roy's (Eliwood's son) love interest, Lilina already has the connections to be interesting. Add on the fact that she gets an outrageously high magic stat, and gets a cameo in Fire Emblem, she was the obvious choice for me.

Runner-up - Micaiah (Radiant Dawn)

Shaman/Dark Mage/Druid/Dark Knight

Ray(Sealed Sword) - Despite being the mages that use "dark" magic, there has been a surprising number of lame shamans, Ray was the first dark magician that was actually pretty impressive. Besides sporting the classy purple and green, the orphan twin Ray actually kicks people's trash. Until Awakening, I think he's the only successful dark mage in Fire Emblem history.

Runner-up - Tharja (Awakening)

Soldier/Halberdier

Nephenee(Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn) - This category was a little unfair, since this class didn't exist until Path of Radiance, despite the ubiquitous nature of lance-wielding soldiers in many of the FE games. Plain and simple, Nephenee kicks butt. She may be a simple country girl who can barely talk, but holy crap, she gets brutal at the upper levels with a good critical, high speed, and power. Add a good defense and evasion, she's probably one of the strongest characters in all Fire Emblem.

Runner-up - Aran (Radiant Dawn)

Priest/Cleric/Bishop/War Monk

Brady(Fire Emblem: Awakening) - This was a tough one for me. Brady can be a little annoying at times, but he's also not your typical healer/priest in any Fire Emblem game that I can ever think of. Add on the fact that he can be a killer War Monk, and you've got yourself a head-busting healer with an attitude. Not much not to like.

Runner-up - Rhys (Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn)

Nomad/Nomad Trooper/Bow Rider

Rath(Fire Emblem) - Similar to the soldier class, the nomad class is pretty unique to a little number of FE games (unless you count Bow Rider as well), this making this selection all the easier. Rath is pretty hardcore, and makes for a great archer that can also use swords. Really, there's not much reason not to use this guy in Fire Emblem.

Runner-up - Sue (Sealed Sword)

Troubador/Valkyrie

Clarine(Sealed Sword) - The valkyrie class was one that I never truly appreciated until my later FE years. A valkyrie in FE is a horse-riding, magic using, staff-wielding character that is good for mobile healing and offense. Although not nearly as cool as their Valkyrie Profile counterparts, they still make for good additions to your team. Clarine is a great one, although lacking a bit in the magic stat, she more than makes up for it with an extremely high evasion.

Runner-up - Mist (Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn)

Bard/Dancer

Tethys(Sacred Stones) - Well, do you pick the emo Reyson, the wimpy Nils, the unintelligible Leanne, or the ridiculously shy (and hard to marry) Olivia? I'm going with the flashy redhead, Tethys... no real reason...

Runner-up - Ninian (Fire Emblem)

Laguz/Taguel

Lethe(Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn) - Despite getting seriously nerfed in Radiant Dawn, Lethe is still an awesome character. With a raging hate for humans, she's got a serious mouth on her. Add on some bite to back up that bark, and you've got yourself a good fighter. The Laguz royalties are all far more powerful than Lethe, but I just can't resist a cat girl (literally)... even if it's not Catgirlurday.

Runner-up - Tibarn (Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn)

Tactician/Grandmaster

Morgan(Fire Emblem: Awakening) - Well, this one is a little unfair, since the class really only exists in one game, and can only be held by two people. Oh well... I chose Morgan here because of his/her ability to gain some very unique skills that even Robin cannot posses (e.g. - Shadowgift when Aversa is her mother). Morgan is pretty much unstoppable no matter who their selected parent is though.

Runner-up - YOU in Fire Emblem (the person that trains Lyn)... see what I did there?

Manakete

Tiki(Shadow Dragon AND Awakening) - Albiet there aren't terribly too many Manaketes to choose from (unless you count the Laguz), this really comes down between Nowi, Nah, Tiki, Myrrh, and Ninian. I decided to go with Tiki because she is the only character I know of to span multiple games that aren't apart of the same story. I mean, come on, she fought along side Marth AND Chrom. That's pretty awesome.

Runner-up - Nowi (Fire Emblem: Awakening)

Lord/Great Lord

Lyn(Fire Emblem) - And finally, who would lead my A-team? Although Ike has been a proved general and leader, traditional Fire Emblem doctrine dictates that a noble must lead, making the vast majority of the Fire Emblem protagonists of the "Lord" class (Ike was one for a little while in Path of Radiance). This honor goes to Lyndis. She's a serious devastator with a katana and a bow, and makes for an interesting character (she actually gets character development... unlike most all Fire Emblem cast). Maybe it was because I named that tactician after myself, but it's like she speaks to me, calling me by name...

Runner-up - Lucina (Awakening)

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And that exhausting list is my A-team! In my perfect Fire Emblem world, this is the crew I'd take to battle with me. How about you?

Did I leave off any of your favorite Fire Emblem characters that you were expecting? Who would you choose?

Like many of you, I'm big into classic gaming. I grew up on the NES and Atari, and I've played through every generation, console, and handheld until the present time.

For us that have been gaming for a number of years and across platforms, we've garnered our personal favorites, many times of a specific series that sadly either do not stand the test of time, or have developer/publishers that have simply since gone under.

This blog is for those series' that seem to have gone by the wayside/forgotten/abandoned and would love to see them revived/continued:

#12 - Star Ocean

Last Game: Star Ocean: Last Hope (PS3)

Now, this may seem like a strange addition, since Star Ocean has received a love on the PS2 and PS3 (and the PSP), but here's to hoping it doesn't stop there. Star Ocean, to me, is a highly undervalued series, with fantastic battle mechanics and classic JRPG design, and I would love to see a Star Ocean 5, most likely on the PS4.

#11 - Bahamut Lagoon

Last Game: Bahamut Lagoon (SNES - Japan only)

For this title, you'll either be scratching your head in confusion as to what this game is, or as to why it's not higher on this list. Bahamut Lagoon is a hybrid tactical RPG/turn-based RPG that never saw the light of day outside of Japan. I'd even take just a remake of this on either the 3DS or Vita.

#10 - Secret of Mana

Last Game - Children of Mana (DS)

Yes, Heroes of Mana was a semi-recent entry to this series, but what I want is a real Mana game - one akin to the glorious days of old in Secret of Mana and Seiken Densetsu 3 on the SNES, and even Legend of Mana on the PSOne. I want the classic multiplayer we used to see (local, ad-hoc, or online is fine with me), and some class-changing, hack-and-slashing, character selecting, rabite slaying goodness - with some upgrades, of course. 3DS or Vita would work, but local multiplayer was what made the old ones great - so a console would probably be better.

#9 - Earthbound (Mother)

Last Game - Mother 3 (GBA)

I'm sure many will agree with me that we all need another Earthbound game, or an Earthbound remake, especially since reintroducing us all to Ness, Mr. Saturn, Porky, and Lucas through Smash Bros. I suppose this one goes without saying much, but it sure seems like the 3DS or Wii U would be a nice home of another title in the Mother series.

#8 - Valkyria Chronicles

Last Game - Valkyria Chronicles 3 (PSP - Japan only)

I would re-buy a Vita today if there were another Valkyria Chronicles game in the works. Heck, even if they decided to bring VC3 over as a ported Vita game, I'd take it. The VC series is one of the most unique set of tactical RPGs out there, and we'd all benefit from another. How about an HD collection for the PS3? I'd buy that too.

#7 - Bubble Bobble

Last Game - Bubble Bobble Plus! (WiiWare/Xbox Live Arcadeon)

Bubble Bobble was literally the game that introduced me to video games, and I played the heck out of it as a kid. Not only that, but it also got my wife into gaming, thanks to the Virtual Console. Despite the Bust-a-Move spin-offs, the best attempt to revive this series was Double Shot on the DS... which would have been great, minus the whole, game-glitches-after-halfway thing. 3DS or Wii U maybe?

#6 - Shining Force

Last Game - Shining Force Feather (DS - Japan only)

Although it's true that multiple spin-offs have been produced from the "Shining" series, I'm pretty sure they're almost all exclusively Japanese (other than some Shining Soul GBA games). However, I'm talking here about what the core was all about - classic tactical RPG-ness. From what I hear, the Japan-only Shining Force Feather for the DS was along those lines, and I'd love to see something similar come to the 3DS or Vita.

#5 - Final Fantasy Tactics

Last Game - Final Fantasy Tactics A2 (DS)

Honestly, I don't care if it's like the original Final Fantasy Tactics, or if it's more like the Advance series or the GBA/DS - I'll just take another FFT game. In a perfect world, I think we'd see an A3 for the 3DS and a Tactics 2 for the Vita. Sadly, we all know Square Enix is too busy these days making iOS shovelware and Final Fantasy XIII games.

#4 - Golden Sun

Last Game - Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (DS)

I've absolutely been loving Dark Dawn the last few weeks, and I'm wanting some more Golden Sun now. For those unfamiliar with the series, Golden Sun spans three games across the GBA (two) and the DS, and they are fantastic turn-based JRPGs. I would especially like to see the story of the Warriors of Vale (or subsequent decedents) continue on, but I also wouldn't be opposed to an entirely new story. Golden Sun would be a perfect fit for the 3DS.

#3 - Chrono Trigger

Last Game - Chrono Cross (PSOne)

Honestly, it is a genuine mystery as to why we've never seen another "Chrono" game since Chrono Cross. Chrono Trigger is considered far and wide as one of the best games of all time, and Chrono Cross is pretty fantastic in it's own right as an RPG. We've seen Chrono Trigger on the SNES, DS, and PSOne, and we've also seen Chrono Cross on the PSOne... so why not a new Chrono game on both the 3DS and Vita? *head explodes* With all the implications of reviving the series, I suppose only a next gen console would suffice for another Chrono game.

#2 - Metroid Prime

Last Game - Metroid Prime 3 (Wii)

Now, I haven't played Metroid: Other M, but since Other M was more of a throwback to the classic style of Metroid (from which there has been some fantastic games made), I'm referring specifically to the "Prime" style. I'm no big FPS shooter fan, but I absolutely loved the Prime series. It's one part shooter, one part puzzler, and even one part 3D platformer. Prime 3 really set the bar high, and I would love to see a Prime 4 (or reboot of the series) to come to the 3DS or Wii U.

#1 - Battletoads

Last Game - Super Battletoads (Arcade)

I really hope I'm not alone with this one, but I have some really great memories getting my butt kicked in Battletoads with my brother back on the NES. Battletoads was brutally hard, it was hilarious, and it was a total blast to play. Sure, the beat-em-up game is a little passé now, but what if a new Battletoads could capture all the awesomeness of the original? I'm sure a healthy added dose of violence wouldn't hurt either. I know this one would be a longshot at best, but a guy can hope.

Honorable Mentions:

-Earthworm Jim

-Startropics

-Master of Orion

-X-Wing/TIE Fighter/Rogue Squadron

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So, what would be your favorite franchises that you'd love to see extended or rebooted?

For those that now think I'm nothing but a diehard Final Fantasy VII fanboy, I'd like to set the record straight... I kind of am... but that doesn't mean that I can't appreciate the finer things of life, known as other great Final Fantasy titles. I'd actually like to think of myself as a pretty diehard Final Fantasy fan, as I've played every Final Fantasy I could get my hands on, including some spin offs. Thus, I have decided to update my ranking of the fifteen Final Fantasies that I've played, while adding in some of my favorite fan art I've found for each title.

You may notice a few that missing from my list. Most notably, Final Fantasy XI, XII, X-2, and Dirge of Cerberus. It's not that I wouldn't like to play these games, but I either don't have a PS2 or backward compatibility! I really do hope to play these games in the future, if naught but to say that I did.

Ranking will be based on the following qualities (on a scale of 10):

Music - quality, originality, and in some cases, volume of quality tracks

Story - quality and how memorable

Customizability - time devoted to changing the experience for yourself and party; critical to re-playability

Intangibles - this goes into legacy and overall feeling you get from the game, characters, and experience

#Last Place Forever - Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (SNES)

Music: 3 - Not as terrible as the rest of the game.

Story: 0 - Honestly, didn't finish it. Sorry.

Customizability: 0 - Can you even change equipment in this game? I know you can't control your party members.

Intangibles: (-1) - Ugh, this is game I'd like to forget was ever made.

Total: 2

Comments - basically, I have nothing good to say about MQ. Essentially, the 1 or so hour I spent on this game, are minutes of my life I'd like to have back, that sadly, can never be returned. From what I understand, this game was designed for us idiot Americans that had no idea how to play a JRPG - the first slap in the face from Squaresoft. That's all I got. Sorry if you were hoping for more about this one.

#17 - Final Fantasy II (NES/GBA)

Music: 4 - One or two good tracks, but that's about it. Really not that bad, but I thought the other NES games (FF1 and FF3) were better

Story: 2 - I honestly can't tell you anything about this story. In know it was an improvement from FF1, but not by much

Customizability: 5 - The weapon system was pretty awesome, making it almost like a Job system, but it was severely limited by the leveling system, and the options of which weapons to choose wasn't all that great.

Intangibles: 3 - Never released outside of Japan until Dawn of Souls, it's hard to say much about FF2's legacy. I suppose it was the first FF game to give the characters you control names, so not bad.

Total: 14

Comments - The only redeeming quality for me about FF2 was the weapon system. I really did enjoy being able to equip any weapon on any player on either hand. However, the extent of the system is sorely limited by the leveling system the game uses. Basically, in order to get a better magic stat, you have to use lots of magic. More strength? Attack a lot. More hit points? Almost die a lot. Grinding to it's extreme, except rather than just fighting a lot of battles, it involved fighting a lot of long battles. Other than that, I essentially remember nothing about this game.

#16 - Final Fantasy I (NES/GBA)

Music: 5 - Very limited in tracks, but all are memorable. This really set the standard for FF music.

Story: 2 - Story consists of going from place to place, not really knowing why, but just to do something else.

Customizability: 5 - Definitely like how you could choose your party at the beginning, including a team full of nothing but White Mages! Make for good replayability.

Intangibles: 6 - The FF that started it all, so there's really not much to argue with here. The protagonists are nameless, but FF1 did give us Garland.

Total: 18

Comments - It was hard for me not to give this one any more love to this, but the reason for it being so low is that it's just hard to play through nowadays. The ability to choose your characters at the beginning of the game, and form your party at will is still just plain awesome for me, but the unrefined battle system (that was later fixed in Dawn of Souls) and devoid story keep this from landing higher in my last. In the very least, you can't argue with what this game started...

#15 - Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time (DS/Wii)

Music: 4 - I know the music wasn't bad, but I honestly can't think of a single tune from this game at the moment.

Story: 4 - Again, there wasn't anything wrong, but there certainly wasn't much of a memorable story here. As the game is built for adding/dropping multiplayer on the fly, you don't follow a cast of characters in this one.

Customizability: 7 - Customization in this game wasn't as awesome as I was expecting. Yes, you can fully customize your outfit/armor, and the gem crafting system (add effects/bonuses to your armor and weapons) is cool too, but weapon type (spears, swords, bows, etc.) choice is locked in from the get go, depending on which race you choose to play as (there are four to choose from, btw).

Intangibles: 6 - First of all, we need more cross-platform games like this. I played my DS while my wife played the Wii, and it was awesome. The game is heavily focused on multiplayer, which is great, but if you were playing by yourself, EoT would be pretty lame.

Total: 21

Comments - Sure, the Wii version is a port of the DS version (that's right, a console game as a port from a handheld *head explodes*), but when you get a used copy (like I did) for only $3, it's hard to complain. Cross-platform and multiplayer is where this game shines, and is honestly as much fun as any SNES Secret of Mana game out there, at least in terms of hack-and-slash RPG play. However, like I mention before, I would not want to play this game by myself.

#14 - Final Fantasy XIII (PS3/360)

Music: 6 - Pretty good stuff, but some of the tracks seemed a little strange, like they couldn't decide on a music style. I am a much bigger fan of older Final Fantasy music.

Story: 6 - Really, really flashy... and kind of boring. As the characters don't really know what's going on, you, the player, really don't either, thus the story becomes about every character and their problems.

Customizability: 6 - Customizing weapons, Roles, Paradigms, and party members make for some great variety. My only knock on this would be the "extra" Roles you can develop, but are actually too friggin' expensive to actually use. Just throwing Crystarium points away.

Intangibles: 4 - No one will argue that Final Fantasy XIII was a 40+ hour visual experience. However, FF13's legacy will not be much of a good one, as it is now the poster boy of "where Square went wrong." Throw Hope in the mix, and the intangible score keeps dropping.

Total: 22

Comments - Beyond just the "wow" factor that reminded me of when I played Final Fantasy X for the first time, I really enjoyed XIII for its original story and the heavy emphasis on having flexibility in battle. It didn't really feel like a FF game to me, mostly because the battle system was so unique (when compared to other FF titles), what with the controlling one character and all, but it made for some very intense, long battles that pushed my strategy beyond what I thought my party could do. Add some great music and Lightning, and I had myself a great time. However, controlling one character bothered the heck out of me. I know, it was to alleviate the difficulty of the fast-paced battle, allowing you to focus on everything else going on (which was a WHOLE lot), but I can't tell you how many times I was cursing at my TV when my party and battle was going strong, and then someone decides to cast an instant KO on my party leader, or just solely focus on attacking said leader, which ultimately leads to an instant Game Over.

#13 - Dissidia: Duodecim 012 (PSP)

Music: 9 - 95% of the music comes from other FF games. How is this not awesome?

Story: 4 - Vast improvements were made in the transition to 012, but compared to other FF games, the story isn't that compelling, and is ultimately confusing. Heck, the story isn't even as good as BlazBlue...

Customizability: 6 - Choosing attacks isn't all it seems to be, this game is really about unlocking. 012 added assists, which throws a little twist to your battle planning

Intangibles: 4 - Besides having a nerdgasm from this incredible crossover, there's little lasting impression from it, other than it's a blast to pick up and play for a bit.

Total: 23

Comments - Beside the fact that Dissidia is not an RPG, Dissidia is an awesome experience for any Final Fantasy nut. I actually enjoy the occasional action game, but if you're not a fan, I could easily so how you would disagree with me on this. There is some customization in Dissidia with the ability to choose which abilities to fight with, however, since moves learned later tend to be more powerful, customization of moves is really more of an illusion. Tunes taken from every Final Fantasy from 1 to 13 is definitely my favorite aspect of this game.

#12 - Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core (PSP)

Music: 7 - A good mix of redone FF7 and original music, Crisis Core really does have an excellent soundtrack. Most tracks are rocked out, but I am a fan of that.

Story: 6 - Amazing story of friendship and heroic tragedy, with the kind of scope not seen in Final Fantasy games. However, it's very, very short.

Customizability: 4 - Materia/equipment system good, only one person to control, not so good.

Intangibles: 7.5 - Even though you know it's coming, that ending is seriously moving. Zack as a heroic, tragic character is not seen in many video games, and it has definitely left a lasting impression on me. I was genuinely depressed for a little while after watching that final scene.

Total: 24.5

Comments - As a huge fan of Final Fantasy VII, I enjoyed everything about the story in Crisis Core. I was always interested in Zack from the original PSone hit, and it was very fun to play through the game as him to learn his story. There was remixed FF7 music, Advent Children-esque cutscenes (that blew me away), and a lot of reminiscing from FF7 people and places. The story (although less "epic" than normal FF games), was also great and refreshing. However, I had a lot of trouble getting into the battle mechanics. You control only Zack (no party members), and its feels more like a hack and slash... with less slashing options. The materia/equipment customization was pretty good, but not to level of Final Fantasy 7. All in all, I think it's the best the PSP has to offer, but it doesn't make for a great Final Fantasy game.

#11 - Final Fantasy III (NES/DS)

Music: 6 - Despite the limited number of tracks, the music in FF3 is very catchy - some of the best.

Story: 4 - Kind of you cut and paste Final Fantasy story - find the crystals, stop the Void, save the world.

Customizability: 8 - Man do I love the Job system! Although not as refined as the Job system in Final Fantasy V, it's still pretty dang fun, especially for an NES game.

Intangibles: 7 - This is difficult to say, since the release on the DS felt like an afterthought, and the NES version never made it out of Japan. The characters are pretty flat (typical NES style), but this was the Job system that started it all. It's legacy is definitely in the Jobs.

Total: 25

Comments - Although I played the original NES version first (on an emulator), I didn't truly play FF3 until they remade it for the DS. Near the bottom of many people's lists, FF3 is in the middle of mine because of the job system. I simply just love job system games, and FF3 has a pretty good one, although not as good as FFV and FF Tactics. The music is great, and the 5th NPC party member was a nice addition. Bottom line, any game that lets me customize the characters enough for multiple play-throughs has my vote. However, Job changing penalties and the importance of job levels drove me crazy. An interesting note though, is that the original NES version has a cost for changing jobs (like spending money to change jobs). In addition to this penalty, a character's job level (all the way up to freaking 100) vastly increases their stats, which also discourages trying out a new job. Oh, and as a side note, the final battle is nearly impossible.

#10 - Final Fantasy X (PS2)

Music: 6.5 - FFX does have a couple of really great tracks, but for a PS2 "movie" experience, I expected better.

Story: 8 - Full of plot twists and turns, FFX's story of "out of place" Tidus is actually one of my favorites, despite most people not liking the protagonist. Tidus's issues with his father adds an interesting level not seen in Final Fantasy games.

Customizability: 5 - Hot swappable party members, a unique leveling up system, and adding attributes to weapons makes for a variable experience.

Intangibles: 7 - Whether you loved them or hated them, FFX has many memorable characters. "Playing" movies seems to be more commonplace these days, but FFX was the first I'd even seen.

Total: 26.5

Comments - This is one I really need to play again (I'm looking at you FFX HD). When I first played FF10, I felt completely immersed in the story. I felt like I was playing a movie. Then when I got to play Blitzball - I was hooked. With great characters like Auron, Kimari, Jecht (I just love this guy), and a hero that didn't fit the typical FF hero role (Tidus), FF10 will always be one of my all-time favs. However, Final Fantasy X was also the first departure from the traditional world map-centric system, not to mention the leveling up system (sphere system) was strange and novel at best. I also missed a sense of customization, which other than the weapon leveling system, there really wasn't anything.

#9 - Final Fantasy VIII (PSOne)

Music: 7 - Great music in this one, leaning mostly towards the orchestrated style, with some techno feel to it. That final dungeon (Ultimecia's Castle) music is easily one of my favorites.

Story: 7 - Although it put's off many people, the emo-centric story of Squall and his fellow "high school"-esque students is actually refreshing and fairly mold-breaking. Throw in some good twists, an awesome rival (Seifer), and a "separate but important" Laguna story, and things get very interesting.

Customizability: 7 - Some people don't like the Junctioning system, but once you figure it out, it makes for a very customizable game. Using GFs (and their abilities) and drawn magic basically allows you to make any character strong at whatever you want. Using different characters with their different limit breaks also adds to replay value.

Intangibles: 6 - Sadly, FF8 will always be the game after "the game," and is sometimes forgotten like the 4 year old in K-mart, especially since it's sitting between the fan favorites, FF6, 7, and 9.

Total: 27

Comments - First and foremost, the battle system is my favorite part of FF8 - there's just so much to do! You can draw, you can cast, you can draw-cast, summon a GF, or even do a number of GF bestowed abilities. Throw in the Squall trigger attack and limit break, and battles are quite enjoyable. The character stat customization system is a lot of fun as well, which allows you to allocate your strongest magic to the stat of choice (attack, defense, HP, etc). Like many other FF games, FF8 has great music and an intriguing story, that even covers multiple time periods (good old Laguna). However, Final Fantasy VIII for the longest time for me was "just not FF7." I've since strayed from this opinion, but it will always be judged as the game after "the game." Drawing magic gets annoying and monotonous at times, and easily obtainable magic like "Aura" makes bosses a piece of cake. The weapon upgrading system is pretty frustrating, as there really is no help or direction to find the needed materials. Even knowing the materials is half the battle - you still have to collect them all.

#8 - Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3/360)

Music: 7 - Despite having tracks all over the place genre-wise, I thought the music in 13-2 was an improvement on the music in 13 - even with some of the best tracks from 13 included.

Story: 6 - The story of 13-2 is a little hard to rank, since by definition, the story is "player-driven" making for a bit less compelling tale than 13. Despite the less organized (and somewhat confusing) story, I still found it driving and interesting.

Customizability: 9 - Hands down, FFXIII-2 has the best customization of any Final Fantasy without a job system. Many, many monsters to tame and add to your party, roles, abilities, weapons, and paradigms add to your choices.

Intangibles: 6 - XIII-2 was definitely more of what we were expecting from the latest gen of Final Fantasy. It took everything that was good about 13 and improved upon it. Step 1 to redemption.

Total: 28

Comments - I'll admit it - I wanted Versus XIII long before XIII-2 was even announced (let alone "Lightning Returns"... but that's for another day), though I'll almost admit that XIII-2 delivered where the original XIII did not. While I played through XIII-2 for the first time, the thought went through my head: "It's almost as if Square listened to all the people complaining about 13, and decided to fix things!" I still need to get that last Paradox ending though...

#7 - Final Fantasy IV (SNES/GBA/DS/PSP)

Music: 6.5 - Definitely a good set of tracks, but they get very repetitive, very quickly

Story: 7 - Definitely a groundbreaking story for video games, including a love triangle, discovering lost heritage and relations (twists), Four Fiends of Element, and a rudimentary love story. Since the translation was vastly improved in subsequent remakes, I gave it a boost from my previous rating.

Customizability: 0-9 - Ok, this is where the rating gets difficult. In the SNES version, the only thing you can control is equipping stuff or not. In the DS version, customization exploded through the Augment System, which is basically like a Job/Ability system. In the GBA and PSP versions, you can actually swap out party members for the final battle, which is all the old "temporary" party members.

Intangibles: 7 - Many remember the cast from the game, much like they do FF6 or FF7, which is saying a lot for this old game. For many, it was their first Final Fantasy, and it really set the standard of the next five FF games made.

Total: 29.5 (sum of all versions)

Comments - FF4 leaves me torn now. After years of only the original SNES version, I've recently finished playing the FF4: Complete Collection, and I was surprised by the changes that were made to this game - improved dialog, added character abilities, and what really blew me away was the addition of switching out the party members for the final stage of the game. Then I did a little research, played a rom for a while, and realize that the DS version has great voice acting (same voices as Dissidia 012), and a freaking Augment System which blows the whole battle system wide open. Playing the SNES, DS, GBA/PSP versions are practically like playing 3 different games! Of course, they didn't fix the whole stupid "3 person limit in the front or back row" thing. What if I want 4 people in the back because Rosa (has a bow), Rydia (uses magic), Kain (uses "Jump") and Edge (uses ringed throwing weapons)? Nope!

#T-5 - Final Fantasy Tactics Advance/A2 (GBA/DS)

Music: 8 - Pretty amazing music, especially for a portable. Every single track is either epic or mind-scramblingly catchy. You will find yourself whistling these tunes throughout the day.

Story: 6 - A little less than to be desired, the story is not the focus of these games. I've heard the original FF Tactics (PSOne) does have a better story though

Customizability: 11 - I had to cheat here and give this an 11 because of the perfected Job system. FF Tactics is all about the Job system and customizing your party, beyond anything seen in a normal FF game. Toss in 7 different races, each with their own unique classes and attributes, add in a few additional unique classes for your main characters (Sky Pirate, Heritor, etc.), mix in some characters from FF12, and this has the makings of many, 100+ hour run throughs.

Intangibles: 5 - Whether it's Advance or A2, this game doesn't leave a long lasting impression, other than the mind-blowing customization. Both stories (Advance/A2) are not great, and most of the main characters are downright annoying.

Total: 30

Comments - I love job system and highly customizable games. Where FF3 and FF5 excel, FF Tactics blows them all away. With multiple races and a plethora of jobs and abilities to choose from, I have literally spent 400+ hours combined between Tactics Advance and A2. There are attack abilities, support abilities, reaction abilities, and then weapon, armor, and accessory affects on top of it! If you have any interest in character customization and job systems, you absolutely have to try one of the Tactics games. However, while A2 is leagues better than Advance, both lack any real engaging story. Also, there is a moment (usually around 50 hours or so) where you sit back and realize you've essentially done the same thing over and over for the last 50 hours.

#T-5 - Final Fantasy IX (PSOne)

Music: 9 - Spectacular music. It's a toss up which Final Fantasy has the best music in the series, but in my book, FF9 is just behind FF6 in this category

Story: 8 - It's fun, has some good twists involving Zidane's origins, but is really not that memorable. It's like a love story, with not a lot of love in it. I'm giving this a 8 based almost entirely on the greatness of Vivi's story.

Customizability: 6 - Other than having choice over your party (albiet a small choice), the "ability" equipping adds some variety

Intangibles: 7 - The throwback style never seen again, FF9 is almost a quintessential Final Fantasy title. It definitely has that for a legacy, but the story spawning from a run-away princess is less memorable.

Total: 30

Comments - This is one that has been greatly changed from the last time I made a post like this. I had forgotten a lot about FF9, so I broke down and downloaded it on the PSN, and boy was I rewarded. The story makes for a fun play-through, despite not being emotionally moving, terribly epic, or mind-blowing, like the other Final Fantasy's above it here. In the very least, the story makes for at least one play through. The music is absolutely spectacular, and the player is constantly rewarded with new tracks throughout the game. If you've never played FF9, download it today, dang it!

#4 - Final Fantasy V (SNES/GBA)

Music: 8 - It's no wonder why the music quality jumps from FF4 to FF6 (2 and 3 in the US) - FF5 helped bridge the gap. Many great tracks, spanning a wide range of emotions, including my personal favorite: Gilgamesh's theme.

Story: 7.5 - Albiet the weakest aspect of FF5, it's story is still an engaging one. Exdeath makes for a great badass villain (better than Golbez, for sure), and the "two worlds" twist is very memorable as well. You can't tell me you didn't feel anything when you saw people sucked into the Void.

Customizability: 10 - Pure Job system awesomeness. With many different classes to choose from (more in the GBA version), you can customize your party to be whatever you want them to be. Abilities learned in one job (i.e. - Black magic, Dual Wield, X-Attack, etc.) can be retained and used in another. For example, want a katana wielding White Mage? How about a Knight casting Haste and Comet? Or maybe a Dancer that can summon Bahamut? The world is your oyster.

Intangibles: 5 - Sadly, FF5 wasn't brought over to the US until Final Fantasy Anthologies (PSOne) and FF5 Advance, so there are many that haven't played it. FF5 is definitely one of the best in the series, and it's sad that it's legacy is limited by the decision not to share it with us sooner.

Total: 30.5

Comments - In a word - Gilgamesh... only kidding. Although the Gilgamesh in FF5 is the inspiration of my IGN name, and is one of my all-time favorite characters, FFV is one my favorites because of the job system. Not only can you switch between jobs like in FF3, but you can also carry over abilities learned in those jobs to other jobs. Add in great music, great story, and a maniacal villain that wants nothing but to annihilate all existence to the Void, and you've got yourself a great game. On the downside, having only 5 characters doesn't make for quite as interesting of a game as does the various in FF6, but the job system makes more than up for it. The dialog can be a little pathetic at times as well, though not nearly to the terribleness of FF4.

#3 - Final Fantasy Tactics (PSOne/PSP)

Music: 5.5 - Many people are probably going to try and condemn me for this, but I just don't see the appeal of the FFT tracks. Yes, there are one or two catchy tunes, but for a PSone game, there are far better out there.

Story: 9.5 - Besides the customizability, the story of FFT is where the game really shines. Full of intrigue, colorful language and some good twists, FFT's story delivers. I'd give it a 10 if it were a little bit longer of a tale.

Customizability: 10 - Hot swappable party members, a unique leveling up system, and adding attributes to weapons makes for a variable experience.

Intangibles: 10 - A phrase used for Final Fantasy Tactics is "industry defining," and by that, I mean the SRPG. FFT is the standard by which every new isometric SRPG made is held to, even today.

Total: 35

Comments - Despite not actually being my favorite Final Fantasy Tactics game (I like A2 more), based on my criteria, I can't deny that FFT is the better game. In the world of SRPGs, this game in legendary, and rightfully so. I've easily sunk nearly 100 hours into this game, and although it is clearly a dated title (and the PSP version is downright ridiculous with the game speed slow-down), it was worth every hour. At $10 brand new, this is worth trying for any PS3 or PSP owner into SRPGs.

#2 - Final Fantasy VI (SNES/GBA)

Music: 10 - A friggin' 16-bit symphony. There are many tracks found only in specific locations or events, with each character having their own theme music, all being more memorable than the last. Seriously amazing music track, especially considering the SNES medium in which it is delivered. If you haven't heard the piano renditions, look them up.

Story: 9 - A truly amazing story, consisting of multiple interesting and unique characters, endings of the world, and one of the most memorable and demented villains of all time (Kefka). Seriously, the Joker is a nobody compared to Kefka.

Customizability: 8 - Although the Esper system is not at the level of the Materia system in FF7, the large (largest in any FF game) and diverse cast available for your use makes up for any other lack of customization.

Intangibles: 9 - FF6 is considered by many to be the greatest of all time, and with good reason. Unlike FF7, FF6 has aged very well, and is still a memorable game to play, even for those seasoned by today's graphics.

Total: 36

Comments - You all know why it rocked, because of everything! So many great, memorable characters (on both sides), and an awesome story with a unforeseen twist! Having each character with distinct battle abilities and equipments really makes for great party customization and replay value, and the Esper system made from great magic customization. It was as a tough choice for to put FF6 at #2, but on any given day, it could be higher at the top spot. Final Fantasy VI's amazing music is still one of my personal favorites, and would be in the running for the best music in any game ever made.

So, why is FF6 not #1? The short answer is that it falls to the materia system and legacy that FF7 holds over it. That's not to say that FF6 doesn't have it's own amazing legacy, it's just not the same as FF7's. Which brings us to...

#1 - Final Fantasy VII (PSOne)

Music: 9 - So many memorable tunes, with a diverse style. Sephiroth's sinister, goth-like music, Shinra's intimidating anthem, Aerith's sad, but soothing melody, and a "Those Who Fight Further" track that gets the adrenaline going are just but the surface of this great OST.

Story: 10 - Unlike any other FF game I've played, not only is the story about saving the world, but it's actually about the twisted, sometimes confusing characters themselves. It's about Cloud's mysterious past and Sephiroth's disturbing origins, and it's played out in a way that leaves your brain wanting to understand and find out more (Inception, anyone?). FF13 tried to recreate this, but failed to do what FF7 did. Oh, and there's a giant meteor about to crash into the planet.

Customizability: 8 - With so many materia to collect and master (I've still never mastered them all), there is a lot to try, especially considering the bonuses and detrimental effects of equipping them. Did I mention there's a lot of materia and many, many ways to equip them? Add in the various characters with their strengths and diverse limit breaks, and you get a lot of replay value. This is easily the best system just below the Job system.

Intangibles: 10 - For all those haters out there, there is a reason why Sephiroth is one of the most recognizable characters of all video games. He's literally that memorable. Heard the name Tifa before? How about that big two-handed Buster Sword? From the memorable characters, to the iconic, 2D, cyber-punk world; to death-defyingly satisfying battles against Weapons made by the planet, and even to the emotion filling hunt for Sephiroth (with that famous twist), FF7 has so many memorable aspects. Unless you hate stories you have to read and think about, I really can't understand why people don't like this game.

Total: 37

Comments - Is anyone surprised that I put FF7 in the top spot? No? Despite what everyone might have guessed, this was a tough call to make. If you notice the scores, FF6 and FF7 are quite a bit ahead of every other game on this list, with only 1 point separating the two. I was very tempted to tie FF6 and FF7 for the top spot, but I've got to give it to FF7. Despite the fact that FF7's graphics have not aged very well, FF7 to me, is still one of the greatest games ever made. Not only did it officially introduce me to and solidify my love of the Final Fantasy series (I played FF1 on the NES back in the day, but I didn't really understand it), but it's legacy is felt even today. It has subsequently spawned prequels, spin-offs, an anime short, and even a full-length movie! You would be very hard-pressed to find a serious gamer today that hasn't at least heard of Final Fantasy 7, and that's saying something.

The next to be added to this list: 1) FF4: The After Years; 2) Four Warriors of Light; 3) Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings; 4) Final Fantasy: Type-0;

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And there you have my complete list of every Final Fantasy title or spin-off I've ever played. What about your list? Feel free to share you favorites and opinions below!

For those that now think I'm nothing but a diehard Final Fantasy VII fanboy, I'd like to set the record straight... I kind of am... but that doesn't mean that I can't appreciate the finer things of life, known as other great Final Fantasy titles. I'd actually like to think of myself as a pretty diehard Final Fantasy fan, as I've played every Final Fantasy I could get my hands on, including some spin offs. Thus, I have decided to update my ranking of the fifteen Final Fantasies that I've played, while adding in some of my favorite fan art I've found for each title.

You may notice a few that missing from my list. Most notably, Final Fantasy XI, XII, X-2, and Dirge of Cerberus. It's not that I wouldn't like to play these games, but I either don't have a PS2 or backward compatibility! I really do hope to play these games in the future, if naught but to say that I did.

Ranking will be based on the following qualities (on a scale of 10):

Music - quality, originality, and in some cases, volume of quality tracks

Story - quality and how memorable

Customizability - time devoted to changing the experience for yourself and party; critical to re-playability

Intangibles - this goes into legacy and overall feeling you get from the game, characters, and experience

#Last Place Forever - Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (SNES)

Music: 3 - Not as terrible as the rest of the game.

Story: 0 - Honestly, didn't finish it. Sorry.

Customizability: 0 - Can you even change equipment in this game? I know you can't control your party members.

Intangibles: (-1) - Ugh, this is game I'd like to forget was ever made.

Total: 2

Comments - basically, I have nothing good to say about MQ. Essentially, the 1 or so hour I spent on this game, are minutes of my life I'd like to have back, that sadly, can never be returned. From what I understand, this game was designed for us idiot Americans that had no idea how to play a JRPG - the first slap in the face from Squaresoft. That's all I got. Sorry if you were hoping for more about this one.

#17 - Final Fantasy II (NES/GBA)

Music: 4 - One or two good tracks, but that's about it. Really not that bad, but I thought the other NES games (FF1 and FF3) were better

Story: 2 - I honestly can't tell you anything about this story. In know it was an improvement from FF1, but not by much

Customizability: 5 - The weapon system was pretty awesome, making it almost like a Job system, but it was severely limited by the leveling system, and the options of which weapons to choose wasn't all that great.

Intangibles: 3 - Never released outside of Japan until Dawn of Souls, it's hard to say much about FF2's legacy. I suppose it was the first FF game to give the characters you control names, so not bad.

Total: 14

Comments - The only redeeming quality for me about FF2 was the weapon system. I really did enjoy being able to equip any weapon on any player on either hand. However, the extent of the system is sorely limited by the leveling system the game uses. Basically, in order to get a better magic stat, you have to use lots of magic. More strength? Attack a lot. More hit points? Almost die a lot. Grinding to it's extreme, except rather than just fighting a lot of battles, it involved fighting a lot of long battles. Other than that, I essentially remember nothing about this game.

#16 - Final Fantasy I (NES/GBA)

Music: 5 - Very limited in tracks, but all are memorable. This really set the standard for FF music.

Story: 2 - Story consists of going from place to place, not really knowing why, but just to do something else.

Customizability: 5 - Definitely like how you could choose your party at the beginning, including a team full of nothing but White Mages! Make for good replayability.

Intangibles: 6 - The FF that started it all, so there's really not much to argue with here. The protagonists are nameless, but FF1 did give us Garland.

Total: 18

Comments - It was hard for me not to give this one any more love to this, but the reason for it being so low is that it's just hard to play through nowadays. The ability to choose your characters at the beginning of the game, and form your party at will is still just plain awesome for me, but the unrefined battle system (that was later fixed in Dawn of Souls) and devoid story keep this from landing higher in my last. In the very least, you can't argue with what this game started...

#15 - Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time (DS/Wii)

Music: 4 - I know the music wasn't bad, but I honestly can't think of a single tune from this game at the moment.

Story: 4 - Again, there wasn't anything wrong, but there certainly wasn't much of a memorable story here. As the game is built for adding/dropping multiplayer on the fly, you don't follow a cast of characters in this one.

Customizability: 7 - Customization in this game wasn't as awesome as I was expecting. Yes, you can fully customize your outfit/armor, and the gem crafting system (add effects/bonuses to your armor and weapons) is cool too, but weapon type (spears, swords, bows, etc.) choice is locked in from the get go, depending on which race you choose to play as (there are four to choose from, btw).

Intangibles: 6 - First of all, we need more cross-platform games like this. I played my DS while my wife played the Wii, and it was awesome. The game is heavily focused on multiplayer, which is great, but if you were playing by yourself, EoT would be pretty lame.

Total: 21

Comments - Sure, the Wii version is a port of the DS version (that's right, a console game as a port from a handheld *head explodes*), but when you get a used copy (like I did) for only $3, it's hard to complain. Cross-platform and multiplayer is where this game shines, and is honestly as much fun as any SNES Secret of Mana game out there, at least in terms of hack-and-slash RPG play. However, like I mention before, I would not want to play this game by myself.

#14 - Final Fantasy XIII (PS3/360)

Music: 6 - Pretty good stuff, but some of the tracks seemed a little strange, like they couldn't decide on a music style. I am a much bigger fan of older Final Fantasy music.

Story: 6 - Really, really flashy... and kind of boring. As the characters don't really know what's going on, you, the player, really don't either, thus the story becomes about every character and their problems.

Customizability: 6 - Customizing weapons, Roles, Paradigms, and party members make for some great variety. My only knock on this would be the "extra" Roles you can develop, but are actually too friggin' expensive to actually use. Just throwing Crystarium points away.

Intangibles: 4 - No one will argue that Final Fantasy XIII was a 40+ hour visual experience. However, FF13's legacy will not be much of a good one, as it is now the poster boy of "where Square went wrong." Throw Hope in the mix, and the intangible score keeps dropping.

Total: 22

Comments - Beyond just the "wow" factor that reminded me of when I played Final Fantasy X for the first time, I really enjoyed XIII for its original story and the heavy emphasis on having flexibility in battle. It didn't really feel like a FF game to me, mostly because the battle system was so unique (when compared to other FF titles), what with the controlling one character and all, but it made for some very intense, long battles that pushed my strategy beyond what I thought my party could do. Add some great music and Lightning, and I had myself a great time. However, controlling one character bothered the heck out of me. I know, it was to alleviate the difficulty of the fast-paced battle, allowing you to focus on everything else going on (which was a WHOLE lot), but I can't tell you how many times I was cursing at my TV when my party and battle was going strong, and then someone decides to cast an instant KO on my party leader, or just solely focus on attacking said leader, which ultimately leads to an instant Game Over.

#13 - Dissidia: Duodecim 012 (PSP)

Music: 9 - 95% of the music comes from other FF games. How is this not awesome?

Story: 4 - Vast improvements were made in the transition to 012, but compared to other FF games, the story isn't that compelling, and is ultimately confusing. Heck, the story isn't even as good as BlazBlue...

Customizability: 6 - Choosing attacks isn't all it seems to be, this game is really about unlocking. 012 added assists, which throws a little twist to your battle planning

Intangibles: 4 - Besides having a nerdgasm from this incredible crossover, there's little lasting impression from it, other than it's a blast to pick up and play for a bit.

Total: 23

Comments - Beside the fact that Dissidia is not an RPG, Dissidia is an awesome experience for any Final Fantasy nut. I actually enjoy the occasional action game, but if you're not a fan, I could easily so how you would disagree with me on this. There is some customization in Dissidia with the ability to choose which abilities to fight with, however, since moves learned later tend to be more powerful, customization of moves is really more of an illusion. Tunes taken from every Final Fantasy from 1 to 13 is definitely my favorite aspect of this game.

#12 - Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core (PSP)

Music: 7 - A good mix of redone FF7 and original music, Crisis Core really does have an excellent soundtrack. Most tracks are rocked out, but I am a fan of that.

Story: 6 - Amazing story of friendship and heroic tragedy, with the kind of scope not seen in Final Fantasy games. However, it's very, very short.

Customizability: 4 - Materia/equipment system good, only one person to control, not so good.

Intangibles: 7 - Even though you know it's coming, that ending is seriously moving. Zack as a heroic, tragic character is not seen in many video games, and it has definitely left a lasting impression on me. I was genuinely depressed for a little while after watching that final scene.

Total: 24

Comments - As a huge fan of Final Fantasy VII, I enjoyed everything about the story in Crisis Core. I was always interested in Zack from the original PSone hit, and it was very fun to play through the game as him to learn his story. There was remixed FF7 music, Advent Children-esque cutscenes (that blew me away), and a lot of reminiscing from FF7 people and places. The story (although less "epic" than normal FF games), was also great and refreshing. However, I had a lot of trouble getting into the battle mechanics. You control only Zack (no party members), and its feels more like a hack and slash... with less slashing options. The materia/equipment customization was pretty good, but not to level of Final Fantasy 7. All in all, I think it's the best the PSP has to offer, but it doesn't make for a great Final Fantasy game.

#11 - Final Fantasy III (NES/DS)

Music: 6 - Despite the limited number of tracks, the music in FF3 is very catchy - some of the best.

Story: 4 - Kind of you cut and paste Final Fantasy story - find the crystals, stop the Void, save the world.

Customizability: 8 - Man do I love the Job system! Although not as refined as the Job system in Final Fantasy V, it's still pretty dang fun, especially for an NES game.

Intangibles: 7 - This is difficult to say, since the release on the DS felt like an afterthought, and the NES version never made it out of Japan. The characters are pretty flat (typical NES style), but this was the Job system that started it all. It's legacy is definitely in the Jobs.

Total: 25

Comments - Although I played the original NES version first (on an emulator), I didn't truly play FF3 until they remade it for the DS. Near the bottom of many people's lists, FF3 is in the middle of mine because of the job system. I simply just love job system games, and FF3 has a pretty good one, although not as good as FFV and FF Tactics. The music is great, and the 5th NPC party member was a nice addition. Bottom line, any game that lets me customize the characters enough for multiple play-throughs has my vote. However, Job changing penalties and the importance of job levels drove me crazy. An interesting note though, is that the original NES version has a cost for changing jobs (like spending money to change jobs). In addition to this penalty, a character's job level (all the way up to freaking 100) vastly increases their stats, which also discourages trying out a new job. Oh, and as a side note, the final battle is nearly impossible.

#10 - Final Fantasy X (PS2)

Music: 6 - FFX does have a couple of really great tracks, but for a PS2 "movie" experience, I expected better.

Story: 8 - Full of plot twists and turns, FFX's story of "out of place" Tidus is actually one of my favorites, despite most people not liking the protagonist. Tidus's issues with his father adds an interesting level not seen in Final Fantasy games.

Customizability: 5 - Hot swappable party members, a unique leveling up system, and adding attributes to weapons makes for a variable experience.

Intangibles: 7 - Whether you loved them or hated them, FFX has many memorable characters. "Playing" movies seems to be more commonplace these days, but FFX was the first I'd even seen.

Total: 26

Comments - This is one I really need to play again (I'm looking at you FFX HD). When I first played FF10, I felt completely immersed in the story. I felt like I was playing a movie. Then when I got to play Blitzball - I was hooked. With great characters like Auron, Kimari, Jecht (I just love this guy), and a hero that didn't fit the typical FF hero role (Tidus), FF10 will always be one of my all-time favs. However, Final Fantasy X was also the first departure from the traditional world map-centric system, not to mention the leveling up system (sphere system) was strange and novel at best. I also missed a sense of customization, which other than the weapon leveling system, there really wasn't anything.

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Disagree or agree with anything? Feel free to sound off below! Stay tuned to see what gets the top 9 spots.

I've been having a lot of fun with my handhelds these days, including a little customization. So, I thought I'd share a little picture of my Internet bought modifications. After all, what's the point unless you can show them off a little bit?

I'm pretty proud of my finds here, though I admit that switching out the body of the PSP was way more of a pain in the butt than the 3DS XL decal.

I would highly recommend one of these to you if you have any courage to take your PSP apart. I'm no take-it-apart electronics guy, so it was a little scary for me, but man are the new housings pretty slick. My PSP was pretty freaking old, so the fresh new screen was a big plus. It actually comes with colored buttons as well, but I kind of liked the black mixed in there (the original PSP buttons). Oh, and they ship from Hong Kong, so expect a good wait.

About the decal:

Sure, it's just a decal, but since I haven't seen any housing for the XL yet, this was as good as I could find. The guy I bought the decal from makes them all him/herself, and I thought more than a few of the designs were pretty sweet. I just couldn't pass up on the Scyther though. Sadly, I kind of sucked up the application, and there is a bubble or two in there (as is visible in the picture).